This is freakin rediculous (PDP prices) - VMS

This is a discussion on This is freakin rediculous (PDP prices) - VMS ; OK, so I go surfing the web looking for an LA36 or LA120, right? As it turns out, all the places that have them are asking like $500 for them.
I don't get it. Why are these terminals so expensive?!?!
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This is freakin rediculous (PDP prices)

OK, so I go surfing the web looking for an LA36 or LA120, right? As it turns out, all the places that have them are asking like $500 for them.

I don't get it. Why are these terminals so expensive?!?!

Also, don't bother trying to buy the PDP11s in unknown condition from karenmadison.com. They're asking $1000 per box for them, and they're only 11/04s. What a rip.

Anyone have a LA36 or 120 for sale at an affordable price, or know where I can get one as such?
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Re: This is freakin rediculous (PDP prices)

Julian Wolfe (FireflyST) wrote:
> OK, so I go surfing the web looking for an LA36 or LA120, right? As it turns out, all the places that have them are asking like $500 for them.
>
> I don't get it. Why are these terminals so expensive?!?!

Ouch! This is bad news. The console LA38 terminal at a
client's site has begun to fail, and I was about to start
looking for a replacement.

It is an odd failure: it will be printing just fine and then
it suddenly goes comatose. The only way to clear it is to
cycle the power.

Does anyone have any suggestions, either for repair or a
replacement?

Alan

Re: This is freakin rediculous (PDP prices)

Julian Wolfe (FireflyST) wrote:
> I don't get it. Why are these terminals so expensive?!?!

Because they are rare?
> Anyone have a LA36 or 120 for sale at an affordable price, or know where I can get one as such?

I had to climb a pile of equipment in a warehouse and help
tote mine down to where I could bring it home in a U-Haul
trailer. I don't think you want to reimburse my labor fee.

Seriously, you can't just go to a store and buy 30-year-old
DEC gear, at least not without paying dearly. Most of us
PDP-11 restorers have gradually acquired our equipment and
replacement parts at whatever times it turned up somewhere.
eBay is not a bad way to obtain PDP-11 gear, although it is
usually "as is" and may require some refurbishment. Be
especially aware that old electrolytic capacitors might need
replacement.

Re: This is freakin rediculous (PDP prices)

Alan Frisbie wrote:
> It is an odd failure: it will be printing just fine and then
> it suddenly goes comatose. The only way to clear it is to
> cycle the power.
> Does anyone have any suggestions, either for repair or a
> replacement?

I'd think that repair is preferable. The schematics are
available, and with a scope you can watch the progress of
the data sent to the terminal to get an idea where the
hangup is.

Also watch out for control codes such as DC2, which might
be interpreted by the terminal as "stall" (I'd have to look
in the manual to be certain).

Re: This is freakin rediculous (PDP prices)

In article <4047EFB8.2080306@flying-disk.com>,
Alan Frisbie writes:
> Julian Wolfe (FireflyST) wrote:
>> OK, so I go surfing the web looking for an LA36 or LA120, right? As it turns out, all the places that have them are asking like $500 for them.
>>
>> I don't get it. Why are these terminals so expensive?!?!
>
> Ouch! This is bad news. The console LA38 terminal at a
> client's site has begun to fail, and I was about to start
> looking for a replacement.

I would avoid any commercial reseller like they had the plague.
A while ago I feared I would have to get rid of all my PDP-11
stuff. I contacted one of the resellers who posts periodically
to USENET about paying great prices for PDP stuff. At the time
I had 5 racks and about 7 complete systems ranging from 11/02
up to 11/73 and including both QBUS and UNIBUS systems. I was
offered $100 for all the cards. He wouldn't take the racks or
the chassis. (meaning I would still be stuck paying someone to
haul the greatest bulk away.) A visit to his site showed his
asking price for a UNIBUS Ethernet Controller (of which I had 2)
was $1000. I decided then and there that when the time comes
that I have to get rid of my PDP-11's and VAXen if I can't find
a Hobbyist interested in them I will take them to a scrapyard
before I will ever let a relseller have them.

Re: This is freakin rediculous (PDP prices)

Bill Gunshannon wrote:
> A while ago I feared I would have to get rid of all my PDP-11
> stuff. I contacted one of the resellers who posts periodically
> to USENET about paying great prices for PDP stuff. At the time
> I had 5 racks and about 7 complete systems ranging from 11/02
> up to 11/73 and including both QBUS and UNIBUS systems. I was
> offered $100 for all the cards. He wouldn't take the racks or
> the chassis.

Speaking of racks, I am still looking for an H960 rack.
I am willing to drive anywhere in southern California,
or adjacent parts of Nevada or Arizona to pick it up.
I don't need the side panels, but do need the back door.

If you don't remember it, the H960 is the 72" high rack
that almost all older Unibus PDP-11 systems came in.

Thanks,
Alan U s e n e t 0 1 F l y i n g - D i s k C o m

Re: This is freakin rediculous (PDP prices)

In article <4048C6D4.3060602@flying-disk.com>,
Alan Frisbie writes:
>
> Speaking of racks, I am still looking for an H960 rack.
> I am willing to drive anywhere in southern California,
> or adjacent parts of Nevada or Arizona to pick it up.
> I don't need the side panels, but do need the back door.

It's too bad I'm on the other side of the country. I have one of
those (no back door however) and a real nice 6' Sun rack. I could
give you the DEC one if your really wanted to stay DEC and use the
Sun one myself or just give you the Sun one (which may have a back
door, but I don't remember and it's shoved in a closet off one of
the labs at the moment.) But then, I am on the other side of the
country. :-(